ARC '16

Energy and Environment Pillar

http://dx.doi.org/10.5339/qfarc.2016.EEPP1685

Using GIS to Quantify Change in the Groundwater Levels in Qatar

Between 1980 & 2009
Yasir Elginaid Mohieldeen1, Anan Al-Marri2

Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), QA

1

QF RD Research Training & Development, QA

2

Email: ymohieldeen@qf.org.qa

Since early 2000s Qatar has been relying heavily on desalinated water from the Arabian Gulf as the main source of
fresh water. In the case of natural disasters in the Gulf such as the red-tide phenomenon, or man-made disasters such
as oil-spills, Qatar would not be able to desalinate water even for days never mind the months that some disasters
would bring about. Qatar is very vulnerable to such disasters, and at present does not have the strategic reserves
of fresh water. The current reserve capacity is for only two days. Two days is definitely not enough. For example, in
the case of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico it took 36 days to clean the water before it could be usable. Another
example is the 2008-2009 red-tide natural disaster that lasted for more than eight months and forced the closure of
desalination plants in the region for weeks.
In addition the groundwater systems in Qatar are heavily exploited mainly for irrigation purposes. The over-
abstraction has resulted in the deterioration of water quantity and quality (due to seawater intrusion). Therefore,
groundwater in its current state would be unusable in the event of water shortages caused by disasters in the
Arabian Gulf. Large scale artificial aquifer recharge plans have been proposed in order to provide strategic reserve in
emergencies. The goal of this plan would be restore the 1980s groundwater levels, through artificial recharging.
GIS is used in this study to map change in the levels of the groundwater between 1980 and 2009, using
potentiometric surface data, in order to identify potential recharge zones/areas. Such information is key in any
aquifer recharge project that aims to restore the aquifers and use them as strategic water reserve in the event of
water shortage emergencies. This study focuses on the upper aquifer in Qatar - the Al Damman aquifer.
The environment of Qatar is desertic with no surface water and very little rainfall. In 2014 the average natural water
resources from rainfall was less than 29 cubic meters per year per capita (m3/y/ca), compared to the global average

Cite this article as: Mohieldeen YE, Al-Marri A. (2016). Using GIS to Quantify Change in the Groundwater Levels
in Qatar Between 1980 & 2009. Qatar Foundation Annual Research Conference Proceedings 2016: EEPP1685
http://dx.doi.org/10.5339/qfarc.2016.EEPP1685.

This abstract is available through QScience.com

of 6,000 m3/y/ca, and a water poverty line of 1,000 m3/y/ca. However, Qatar per capita
water consumption is among the highest in the World, reaching more than 500 liters per
person per day, whereas the global average is about 160 liters per person per day. This high
per capita consumption in Qatar is attributed to rapid urbanization and changes of living
standards since the early 1980s. Qatar’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased from
23.5 billion USD in 2003 to 211.8 billion USD in 2014. This economic boom that has put
tremendous pressure on the groundwater resources, as population increased. This pressure
was caused by the rapidly increased farming activities embarked upon in order to meet the
food demand of the rapidly rising population. Another reason for the increase in farms is
a consequence of it reflecting the social status of its owner. Qatar’s population increased
almost five times from 0.37 Million to 1.74 Million between 1986 and 2010, and six times
between 1986 and 2014. Groundwater withdrawal by irrigators has occurred. Figure 7
shows abstraction for irrigation increasing from 100.3 Mm3/yr in 1983 to 248.73 Mm3/yr in
2009. The groundwater abstraction rate highly exceeds the natural replenishment rate of
58 Mm3/yr from rainfall, hence groundwater levels drop.
In 2009, about 99.9% of the total potable water, produced by the Qatari water company
(KAHRAMAA), was desalinated while only 0.1% was from groundwater. Desalinated water
production has increased four-fold between 2003 and 2011 (from 0.44 to 1.48 million
m3/day).
To identify change in groundwater level two potentiometric iso-maps of the Al Dammam
aquifer for the years 1980 map were acquired in a hardcopy format. The two maps
were first converted from hardcopy format to digital format by scanning, in order to
enable manipulation in the GIS system. The two scanned digital images were then geo-
referenced to the Qatar National Grid 1995 (QNG 1995) coordinate system, using known
ground control points and ArcGIS system. Then the images were digitized by tracing
the potentiometric contours/isolines in each map, converting them into vector lines.
Potentiometric values were assigned to their respective vector lines. The line-or vector
-is then converted to point data. Interpolation techniques enabled the generation of a
continuous surface (raster) to be able to compare the cell values of the same location of the
two data sets.
Spatial interpolation techniques were used to create continuous raster surfaces in
order to compare the two datasets from 1980 and 2009. Two main groups of surface
interpolation techniques are available in the GIS environment: deterministic; and geo-
statistical. Deterministic interpolation techniques create surfaces from measured points,
based on either the extent of similarity or the degree of smoothing. While geo-statistical
interpolation techniques utilize the statistical properties of the measured points. Geo-
statistical techniques quantify the spatial autocorrelation among measured points and
account for the spatial configuration of the sample points around the predicted locations.
Based on the nature of the data available for this study and its spatial distribution geo-
statistical interpolation was preferred over deterministic techniques. The Ordinary Kriging
method of geo-statistical interpolation was chosen as it provides accurate interpolation
with minimum standard error. Two potentiometric raster surfaces for 1980 and 2009 were
interpolated. The 1980 surface was then subtracted from the 2009 surface in order to
calculate the change in groundwater level between the two years.
Two potentiometric raster surfaces for 1980 and 2009 were interpolated. The 1980 surface
was then subtracted from the 2009 surface in order to calculate the change in groundwater
level between the two years. The difference map shows areas where groundwater level
dropped between 1980 in 2009.
To help better interpret the results, the map was overlaid over a 2013 Landsat 8 satellite
image, from the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+). The overlay showed major
level increase in and around Doha, is clearly caused by: seepage from unlined treated
sewage water dumping lagoon at Abu Nakhlaa- south-west Doha; and leakage from water
distribution network in Doha. Some increase also identified in south Qatar due to pivot-
irrigation systems using recycled treated water.
Areas with groundwater falls in level by 4 meters and more were considered as having high
artificial injection potential. The 4 meter drop was selected to avoid possible Land-Surface
Deformation (LSD) by having enough space for the recharge. A few centimeters of LSD could
have serious consequences for high rise buildings in Doha City, Such deformation causes
cracks and damage to these buildings if the ground moves. LSD also damages water and
sewage network pipe-joints and fittings, exacerbating the water-leakage problem in Doha,
resulting in the water-table rises in the city. The rising water table in Doha has become a
serious issue as it impedes the digging of foundations. Expensive de-watering procedures
are required and special coating for the foundations which add to the construction costs.
Furthermore, water leakage implies more desalinated water needs to be produced in order
to substitute for the lost waters, and hence more vulnerability to disasters in the Arabian
Gulf.
Some central areas, despite the high potential recharge volumes, are suggested to be
excluded from the recharge, to avoid raising the groundwater levels in Doha City. In Qatar,
groundwater flows radially outwards from recharge areas, centered over the higher Qatar
Anticline land that plunges to the north and to the south with a surface expression of a
broad shallow dome. The water discharges into the adjacent low-lying land along the coast
and the Arabian Gulf. Recharging these areas will increase the flow towards Doha, down the
groundwater gradient.
Another reason for excluding these central areas is that the area has a large number of
sink-holes. These karst features are produced by the dissolution of subsurface gypsum beds
during humid and wet periods in the Pliocene and Pleistocene period. Filling these gypsum
formations with freshwater is very likely to cause re-dissolution, and hence the collapse of
ground surface.
The results present essential information that could be further refined through field work
and groundwater survey. Further modeling of the groundwater movement and dynamics
using monitoring wells data will also be completed.
Soil permeability and soil types analysis in the area are need to carry out the analysis of the
recharge areas.
It is also recommended that an interferometry study, using polaromteric RADAR surveys, be
completed before, during and after the artificial recharge in order to monitor possible land
surface deformation.
GIS proved to be a very effective tool in assessing disaster preparedness, management, and
prevention as it helped in determining the potential recharge areas that could be used for
strategic water reserve.